Basically, its not enough for the audience to buy that a country of isolationist primitives with laser guns could exist. The audience may well believe its *possible*. . . but if they have zero *sympathy* for said country, you're stuck with them being antagonists at best. And a high tech nation deliberately living a primitive, unpleasant tribal life, except for the powers that be that enforce said existence via high tech weaponry ( and that is *exactly* what it would come off as )? Is the kind of thing that T'Challa would have to be actively ending, in order for him to come off as even vaguely heroic.

Yeah the nature respecting Wakandans who want to protect their sovereign right to self-determination from Western greed should be the evil bad guys.

Because history has shown that imperialism has truly served Africa's best interest, right? Especially the constant civil war due to western weapons and corruption.

Maybe Black Panther can defeat the "evil" tribal leaders and install an American puppet government. The Wakandan people can tear down their Black Panther statues and replace them with McDonalds and Wal-Mart.

Yay, imperialism and the destruction of native cultures!

WE can even rewrite the way T'Challa's father died. He could die trying to convert his proud tribe into Christians and mine workers for American corporations.